US preparations for senior team member

 EAST New Britain’s Cecilia Kumalalamene flew to Iowa, USA, yesterday to begin her Pacific Games preparations.

The twenty-five year old is a senior member of the PNG athletics team having been a part of the PNG Athletics Union since being invited by PNGAU president Tony Green to a training camp at the National Sports Institute in December, 2004.

She had just completed year 10 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Vunapope.

A middle-distance specialist, the Pomio native had her best years in 2006-07 clocking 2:13 in the 800m and 57.45 in the 400m.

After the 2007 Games in Samoa and with the support of Green, Kumalalamene went back to school and completed her years 11 and 12 in Lae. 

She graduated in December 2009.

“Cissy is a great team player and is very popular amongst the athletes,” Green said. 

“She is a great help to the younger girls and the squad in Lae will miss her.”

The dimunitive runner will join a college in the state of Iowa ahead of fellow PNG representatives Wala Gime and Sharon Kwarula because the school’s cross country squad start their training this week.

She will travel directly to Noumea from Iowa on Sept 1.